| Author | Content |
Sharran
(Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 8:33 AM Post #4413913
| Victor, what a terrific article. I have learned and laughed, what a great way to become educated.
Thank you for this enjoyable and informative article. I don't have deer, but if they ever invade my property, I will know exactly what to do. |
judycooksey
Pocahontas, TN (Zone 7b)
 January 17, 2008 11:08 AM Post #4413972
| Due to the drought last summer, the deer invaded the garden area around our house eating EVERYTHING, last on the list was Iris. Two days ago very early morning hours I heard them running on the porch ... I think it's time to invite some local hunters over for early morning coffee on the porch.
Great article and I found your humor delightful.
Judy |
doccat5
Fredericksburg, VA (Zone 7b)
January 17, 2008 11:41 AM Post #4414000
| Wonderful article. I was grinning the whole time I was reading. I especially like the "mad' arm waving gardener approach! There is always the shotgun with a potato silencer...I think that works on a shotgun???? LOL
Thanks, it was great! |
bbrookrd
nantucket, MA (Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 12:44 PM Post #4414094
| Victor, I am so saddened that my daily naked romp through my garden is pointless, but I am happy to know that the big box of hosta that I sent you will get planted at a good home, your neighbor's. I enjoyed this morning reading very much. Patti |
victorgardener
Lower Hudson Valley , NY (Zone 6b)
January 17, 2008 12:48 PM Post #4414102
| Thank you all! Sorry to hear that Judy and Patti. I know that sinking feeling all too well. |
pixie62560
South China, ME (Zone 5a)
January 17, 2008 1:34 PM Post #4414242
| Victor, I loved the running, waving arms and verbal barrage! How did it work for you??
You forgot one very simple remedy...GET A DOG!!! (or 2) |
pirl
(Arlene) Southold, NY (Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 1:40 PM Post #4414257
| Informative and fun article, Victor. I enjoyed the arm waving, crazed human method but Deer Off works well for us. I use Milorganite in just one area and they never stray from our neighbors to us. Only two visits from them in 2007, thankfully. Next year I'll cut the tulips before they can get to them!
Great photos, too. |
victorgardener
Lower Hudson Valley , NY (Zone 6b)
January 17, 2008 1:50 PM Post #4414283
| Rather have a coyote! My neighbor has a dog but the deer still come around - just during the night and early AM. Thanks! |
bbrookrd
nantucket, MA (Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 2:11 PM Post #4414347
| Victor, my dogs go nuts over deer, if they happen to be wake. So dogs don't work unless they are night owls. Do night owls chase deers?
We had one border collie that became a friend of one deer. She actually ran under it one day when DH started screaming at her to go out and clear the yard of the hoofed rat. She ran like mad out into the yard and then straight under the deer all the while looking around for what she assumed was an evil bunny to chase. The deer paid no attention to her. Our dear Jesse then headed back with a look to my DH of "you must be seeing things" She would chase other deer like crazy, just not this one particular one ever. Patti |
rcn48
Lexington, VA (Zone 6a)
January 17, 2008 4:11 PM Post #4414883
| I agree, a "terrific article"! I'm still at a loss as to what my next strategy will be to combat our deer problem. We've always had minor problems but with the loss of our dog last winter, the deer returned this year with a vengeance :( The beautiful Hostas and Ferns I had planted the fall before with expectations of a lush display of foliage were destroyed when the deer enjoyed their feast of Hostas with the first signs of growth. Although I had success with Deer Off (when I remembered to reapply!), we're hopeful our new puppy will help this year. Now, if Victor could muster up an article about how to stop her from digging in the gardens, I'd have one more battle licked!
Looking forward to reading more of your informative and "fun" articles :)
|
Joan
Belfield, ND (Zone 4a)
 January 17, 2008 4:34 PM Post #4415027
| Wonderful article. I loved every minute of it, both times I read it. Yep, I read it twice. :)
Judy, we've had deer come right up on our deck too. We couldn't figure out what was eating so much of the dry dog food until one evening we saw it with our own eyes. Deer! And the dog just sat back and watched them eat it, knowing full well we'd refill the dish again soon. |
Sharran
(Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 5:04 PM Post #4415185
| Actually the naked arm waving gardener approach works on other things, too, including neighbors. The last time I used the method, the neighbors to the west packed up and moved on, as did the possom I was chasing.
I do not miss the neighbors or the possum.
I just had to come back and read your article again.
Thanks.
|
carrielamont
Euless, TX (Zone 8a)
January 17, 2008 5:28 PM Post #4415320
| Victor - I've been looking forward to this article ever since I saw the title! I don't THINK we have deer - too close to big highways - but then what ate all our tulips that one year? Thank you.
xx, Carrie |
Lily_love
Central, AL (Zone 7b)
January 17, 2008 5:41 PM Post #4415385
| Bravo! Love what you've written on this topic.
Kim |
McGlory
Southeast, NE (Zone 5a)
January 17, 2008 6:44 PM Post #4415701
| Beware Bambi! Thanks to Victor's article I am fully ...uh...armed. Thanks for the laughs! |
dragonfly53
South Boston, VA (Zone 7a)
January 17, 2008 8:19 PM Post #4416103
| Good article Victor! Last year was bad for us too because of the drought. The deer thought nothing of munching on my new planted viburnums and Elderberries. However, they never touched my vegetable garden and I had some good looking melons and corn in there. I read in an article that deer can jump high or they can jump wide but not both. So, we put 8 foot metal fencing stakes around the garden, (after putting them in the ground, they are about 6 feet tall), then attached another stake, this one 4 feet long to the tops of some of them.
I used 4 feet high black plastic mesh fencing strung on a wire and then attached to the stakes around the garden and also put a really high trellis in one of the raised beds near the center of the plot. I think that combination has fooled the deer for the past two years because never once have they even come near the garden! |
gabagoo
Yonkers, NY (Zone 5b)
January 17, 2008 8:32 PM Post #4416164
| Great article, Victor!
Luckily, I don't have a deer problem - just raccoons, skunks & an occassional opossum.
There are deer in the area - there's a nature center about 2 miles up the road.
They can't get into my fenced yard though.
There's a 6 foot fence atop a 4 foot brick wall and no running room.
So unless they can fly a helicopter & lower themselves in the yard, I'm deer-free.
Nancy |
victorgardener
Lower Hudson Valley , NY (Zone 6b)
January 17, 2008 9:15 PM Post #4416354
| Thanks to all for your kind words! I appreciate it. I used Deer-Off for a few years and it worked well. But it did leave white spots on the leaves. Sounds like a good design, dragon. I have seen angled designs, where the vertical dimension is still 8 feet high. I have seen double fences and of course, in rural areas, electric. Perseverance and changing tactics are the keys. |
ForVirg
Brownwood, TX (Zone 8b)
January 18, 2008 5:58 AM Post #4419053
| Joan J. I laughed when I read your message as it's somewhat familiar. Our ranch dog barks at me, my husband, our ranch manager - in short EVERYONE and EVERYTHING it seems (including vultures and tornadoes). But one night we heard munching outside but NO barking, and discovered a skunk eating the dog's food! The suddenly mute dog? She was hiding around the corner. LOL.
I have a different kind of fencing solution for deer. But it only works for smallish gardens that are composed mostly of raised box beds. We live very rurally (on a ranch) so have tons of deer. I had my garden put together with raised beds with 4 feet in between each, then fenced the perimeter -- all 4 feet from the ends of the beds. And one end is up against a building. The lack of space between the planters makes the deer hesitant to jump in, as it looks to them like there's nowhere to land! It's worked like a charm for a year now. :-) I hope I didn't just curse myself. LOL.
Virginia
This message was edited Jan 18, 2008 12:00 AM |
